Automobile crane



Aug. 21, 1945- J. TANENBAUM- AUTOMOBILE CRANE Filed Sept. 1, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 21, 1945. J. TANENBAUM AUTOMOBILE CRANE Filed Sept. 1, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1945' J. TANENBAUM 2,383,426

AUTOMOB ILE CRANE Filed Sept. 1, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 an l\ Inf/7(0):

Patented Aug. 21, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l 2,383,426 Ai-J'lroMoBnn Joseph *ianenbaum; Toronto, Ontario, Canada Appii'cauan September 1, 1943, Serial No. 561,042 6 Claims. (01. era-=55) "rrieprincipal objects of invention are to provide an automobile crane in which a swingin been is mounted on a truck platform and the hoi andboom swinging mechanism is operatedflirectly from the truck driving engine, the s'eyral control devices being arranged within the truck cab.

A further object is to devise-a crane'struoture iii which the boom, mastjand braces are extensfbl Sothat the crane will have a Wide ran'g'e'or oiiejration.

Theprincipal -fez'alture's of the invention c'ohs'ist in the novel construction and arrangement of a telescopic tu ular mast stepped in'and supported by a gearfwhel, .joiirnalled on a truck platform, the "mast being stayed by telescopic legs ;pivol" a-I1y connected to the top section of the mast and to lateral fir'tensions of the truck .piatform, said gear being operated to swing the boom through a gear mechanism operatively connected with a poWe'iftake-ofi connected to the truck engine'and cohtrolld from the cab of the truck to swing the boom in lateral directions. H

A fuithfimportarit feature consists in the arrangemehtof hoisting drums on the truck platmm forward of the mast operatively connected with the truck engine through a power'take-o'ff ifite'riiosd in the propeller shaft of the driving mechanism of the truck, said drums being controlled by separate clutches and brakes operable from the'truckcab.

It; the accompanying drawings v Figure 1 is aside elevation partly broken away of a truck and crane constructed in accordance withthis nvention. I V

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the outer end of t 'i-boorfi not shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an 'nlargedplan view of the mast and its supports and the hoisting and control mechanism.

Fighte isa side elevational view of the hoistme gear and "the lower portion of the crane as shownin'FigureB.

Figure 5 is an enlarged mid-sectional view :of the gee-r''rneohanism for swinging the boom.

F-igu're '6 is a cross sectional view thro'ughth'e boom -s wihgi-ng' gear taken on the line 6-'6 o'f Figiifeo. n

Figure 7 is anenlarged sectional detail of the clutch mechanism of one :of the hoisting drums; Figure 8 is a diagrammatic elevational View of the gear drive of theseveralhoisting drums.

-Many types of present-day out-door construction work require the use of heavy duty cranes and it is highly desirable that such cranes be as readily movable to handle the lifting of heavy loads in various localities of the structure and the present invention has been devised to meet such requirements and yet be capable of being readily adjusted for transport in highway and drb'an trafiic.

Ifi'thestruc'ture herein shown a platform truck chassis [is mounted on suitable regulation heavy duty twin tractor wheels 2 and the forward end is 'n'iounted on regulationwheeled equipment 3 and carries a structural platform I.

The truck engine is mounted in the forward part or 'the chassis and "is not shown as the 0011+ sftr uhtioh is standard and the regular propeller shaft t is carried back to the Wheels 2 and drives s'ar'nethroug'h a regulation equipment.

Mounted on the platform 1." toward its rear eiid and over: the traction wheels 2 are paired cross teams 5 between which is arranged, centrally of the width of the platform, a block 6 which forms .a step bearing for the lower pivot end of the bottom tubular section 6' of thecrane mast.

' A large erizomaispur gear I is rigidly secured to the lower mast section and meshing with said gear is a p nion 8 mounted on a vertical shaft :9 extending from a gear box l0 which is suitably rigidly mounted if; the platform structure.

The fiinio'r'i shaft 9 is connected through bevel gears H with a cross shaft l2 journalled in the gear b'oirtahd on which is mounted a worm wheel l3 which meshes with a worm I I on a shaft [5 journalled insaid gear box. Afsha'ft I6 is arranged parallel the shaft l5 and loosely mounted on one end thereof is a s'pur gear l'l meshing with a; spur gear l5" rigidly mounted on the worm shaft. The gear I! is provided with a toothed clutch face 18 which is engaged by a sliding eiutcirme'mber f9 keyed on the shaft 16. A spur gear 2'0 provided with a toothed clutch face II is loosely mounted on the other end of the shaft 16 and is engaged and disengaged by the slidalole clutch member which is operated by never 22. A spur gear 23 matching the gear 20 is secured on the worm shaft l5 and the gears 23 and Z0 i'ntermesh with an idler gear 24. By shifting the olutoh member the worm and worm gear and pinion 8 may be driven in either direction to operate the gear 1 of the mast. The shaft Iii-extends forwardly from the gear box l0 and is operatively connected at its forward end to the truckengine througha power take off (not shown) of a- ;standard design mounted on the engine structure;

The lower tubular mast section 6 has telescopically mounted therein an upper section on the upper end of which is mounted a bracket plate 26 having forwardly extending paired jaws 2'! and laterally extending paired jaws 28.

Telescopic tubular brace legs 26 are pivotally mounted in the jaws 21 and extend forwardly and downwardly and are pivotally secured in jaw brackets 36 mounted on the outer ends of a beam extending transversely of the chassis platform I Similar telescopic tubular brace legs 3| are pivotally secured in the lateral jaws 28 on the mast and extend laterally outward and the lower ends are pivotally secured laterally outward and the lower ends are pivotally secured in jaw brackets 32 mounted on the outer end of a transverse beam mounted on the chassis slightly forward of the mast bearing.

Each of these tubular telescopic legs and the mast are provided with suitable means for locking the telesooped members in several positions,

1 34 is mounted a pair of sheave plates 35 between which is mounted the main load sheave 36.

A sheave link 31 is pivotally secured to a cap 38 on the top of the mast and similar link 39 is pivotally mounted between the boom sheave plates 35 and sheaves 40 and 4| on the free ends of the said links are connected by the :boom cable 42 which is carried over a sheave 43 on the mast head and extends downwardly and through a sheave 44 mounted in a bracket 45 pivotally mounted at the base of the mast, said cable extendin forwardly to the hoisting gear.

The hoisting gear is mounted at the forward end of the chassis platform close to the cab and it comprises parallelly arranged drums 46, 41 and 48. These are mounted in suitable bearings, the bearings of the drum 46 being preferably arranged at a higher level than the drum 41, and the drum 48 is at a lower level than the drum 41. This sloping arrangement is desirable in order that the cables from the drum 46 be passed over drum 4! and from drum 4'! may pass over drum 48 in extending rearwardly to the sheaves mounted in the bracket 45 at the base of the mast.

Spur gears 49 and 56 are secured on one end of the shaft of the drums 46 and 41 respectively and these intermesh with an idler gear 5| mounted in suitable bearings.

A gear 52 mounted on the shaft of the drum 48 is arranged in alignment with the gears 49 and and meshes with an idler gear 53 which also meshes with the spur gear 50. There is thus a driving connection between all of the drum shafts.

The shaft of the drum 46 has mounted thereon a worm wheel 54 which is driven by a worm connected with a gear 55 driven by a chain belt 56 which extends from a gear carried by a power take-off 51. This power-take-ofi is connected with the engine propeller shaft 4.

The details of construction of the power takeoff are not disclosed as such mechanism is of standard construction.

The drums 46, 41 and 48 are each provided with peripheral toothed ratchet surfaces 58 and mounted on a suitable supporting plate 59 arranged at the ends of the drums are ratchet dogs 66 which are spring held in engagement with the ratchet teeth on the drum, and disengaging pawls 6| are pivotally mounted on the plate 59 and connected with rods or cables 62 to hand-operated control members 63 arranged in a plate 64 at the back of the cab of the truck. These control membars are notched to be retained in position on the supporting plate to hold the dogs free of the ratchets 4 to allow them to be spring-held in contact with the ratchets, 1

These ratchets serve to hold the drums securely upon the winding up of the cables mounted thereon in operating any of the loaded parts to which the cables are connected.

Each of the drums 46 and 41 is provided with a braking surface at'the end opposite to the ratchets 58 and brake bands 65 are mounted to encircle these brake surfaces, one end of each band being connected to a rigid pivot on the bearing support and the other being connected to a bell crank lever 66 Each of the levers is connected by a rod or cable 6'! to a suitable operating leve 68 arranged in the cab. By means of these band brakes and hand-controlled levers the rotation'of the drums in lowering loads can be controlled.

Each of the drum 46 and 41 is provided with an internal toothed clutch face 69 which is engagedby a toothed clutch member "to slidably and nonrotatably mounted on the drum shaft, which shaft is driven through the gearing h'ereinbefore described.

Eachof the clutch members 10 is operated by a rod 1| connected thereto and extending out through the bearing support and connected to a bell crank 12 mounted on the bearing support. Each of said bell crank is spring-operated to hold I the clutch member in clutching engagement with' the drum, and rods 13 are connected to the bell cranks and to levers 14 arranged in the cab.

The power take-off 51 is provided with an operating lever 15 which is connected by a rod 16 with a control lever 11 arranged in the cab.

The lever 68, 14 and H are preferably all ar ranged in transverse alignment'in the cab and close together so that the power take-offythe brakes and the clutches of the drums may all be conveniently handled.

The clutch lever 22 extending from the gear box I!) and controllin the mechanism for swinging the boom is connected by a rod 18' with a control member 19 similar to the members 63 connected with the ratchets of the hoisting drums.

The drum 48 is provided with a clutch member slidably and non-rotatably mounted on theshaft of the drum 48. with the gear 52 to drive the drum shaft and said clutch is operated by a bell crank lever 8| connected by a rod 82 to a control member 83 similar to the controls 63 and 19. These controls'are truck, it can be driven from place-tmplace and;

readily maneuvered into position for the handling of a load. The telescopic structure of the'crane enables it to be reduced to minimum heighta'nd length of boom for operating in trafiia and to permit passage under minimum overhead clear ances and entrances to buildings and when it is located in relation to the work the boom and its This clutch is adapted to engage.

ass-seas mast and-stays may be requirements. a

' when the boom reach adjustments have been augments out "to suit the made the driver of the truck may give his attencable for raising and lowering the boom. As the cable is wound up on the drum the ratchet member holds it securely. In lowering, the ratchet will be released by operating one of the control members 63 and the. unwinding of the drum is then controlled by the brake operated by one of the levers 68.

When the boom has been adjusted to the desired angle the boom drum may be locked, then the hoisting drum 46 may be manipulated in a similar manner for operating the load cable.

The third and smaller hoisting drum 48 is provided to be operated in connection with an extension 84 to the boom. This extension, as illustrated in Figure 2, is inserted between the sheave plates on the end of the boom and interlocks with the cross bolts 85. This extension carries a sheave 86 over which a cable 81 operates which is connected with the hoisting drum 48 operating over sheaves mounted on the mast and is used for 'position where ordinary cranes could not be manipulated and further, in view of the fact that the motive power of the truck is available at the same time as the hoisting mechanism, it is possible to co-ordinate both operative conditions, that is to say, the hoisting mechanism may be operated to lift a load which has to be transferred to some point farther than the swing of the boom will reach, so that after lifting the load the truck operator may operate the traction mechanism of the truck and carry the extended load so that it may be deposited in the desired location.

It will be understood that when the crane telescopic structures are in their retracted position the boom may be raised to such a position that by operating the cables the mast and its supporting legs may be drawn upward and extended by the manipulation of the hoisting drums. When such mast and legs have been extended they may be locked securely by the use of the cross pins described.

The boom itself can be lengthened by sliding the telescopic members outwardly and locking them in their extended positions.

An equipment such as described is found to be extremely effective in general construction work.

It will be understood that the cable sheaves at the base of the crane may, instead of being carried in a pivotal bracket as shown, be mounted in the base of the mast and the cables extended upwardly inside of 'th mas t 'tosheaves arranged at the rep.

It will be noted that a reinforcing beam 81 is arranged at the 'rear end of the 'crane platform and extensions 88 are mounted in the cross beam supports of the legs 31 which extend laterally ddtwa-id enemy be blocked at the ends as lateral supp'orts'when heavy loads are being handied.

The mechanism for controlling the operation of the boom swinging gear I described in detail herein is a standard type and it will be understood that other reverse gear mechanisms may be substituted therefor.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In anautomobile crane, the combination with a truck having an engine and propeller shaft connected with the traction wheels, of a crane mast formed of telescopic tubular sections rotatably mounted at its base end on the truck chassis, a boom formed of telescopic tubular sections pivotally mounted on said mast, tubular telescopic legs mounted on said truck chassis and supporting said mast, means for securing said telescopic sections in various extended positions, means connected with said truck engine for reversibly rotating said mast, hoisting gear mounted on said truck chassis forward of said mast and operatively connected with the propeller shaft and with said mast and boom, and control means for said hoisting gear arranged at the forward end of the truck.

- 2. An automobile crane as claimed in claim 1, having transverse beams extending laterally beyond the truck chassis, and pivot supports mounted on the extremities of said beams pivotally connected to the bottom ends of said pivotal mast supporting legs.

3. An automobile crane as claimed in claim 1, inwhich the means for rotating said mast comprises, a gear wheel mounted horizontally on said mast, a pinion meshing with said gear wheel, a reverse gear mechanism operatively connected with said pinion, a shaft extending forwardly of said crane chassis connected with said reverse gear, a power take-off mounted on and driven by said truck engine, and means for controlling said reverse gear mechanism extending to the forward end of said chassis.

4. An automobile crane as claimed in claim 1,

in'which the means for rotating said mast comprises, a gear wheel mounted horizontally on said mast, a pinion meshing with said gear wheel, a reverse gear mechanism operatively connected with said pinion including a worm gear adapted to hold the mast and boom in various positions of rotation, a shaft extending forwardy from said reverse gear, a power take-off operatively connected with the truck engine, and means for controlling said reverse gear extending to the forward end of the chassis.

5. In an automobile crane, the combination with a truck having an engine and propeller shaft connected with the traction wheels and a crane mounted on the truck chassis, having a mast and mast control devices arranged at the forward end of the truck, of a plurality of hoisting drums parallelly mounted on the forward end of said chassis, gear wheels operatively connecting said drums, a power take-off connected to said engine propeller shaft, means interposed between said power take-off and said drum gears, and means for individually controlling the operation of said drums, from the forward part of the truck adjacent to the mast control devices.

crane, mean for driving said drums connected with the truck engine, means for individually controlling the application of power to said drums extending: forwardly to said cab, means for holding said drums from rotation, and means for controlling said holding means extending forwardly tozsaid cab.

- JOSEPH TAN ENBAUM. 

